Effects of partial sleep deprivation on prefrontal cognitive functions in adolescents

The effect of sleep deprivation on cognitive functions associated with the frontal lobe, such as attention, executive functions, and working memory, is not well known. This study aimed to investigate the effect of partial sleep deprivation in adolescents on the cognitive tasks of the frontal lobe, including visuospatial working memory, processing speed, sustained attention, executive functions, and short-term visual memory.

Participants were recruited from voluntary students of Çukurova University. Eighteen adolescents underwent four consecutive nights of monitored sleep restriction (6-6.5 h/night) and four nights of sleep extension (10-10.5 h/night) in a counterbalanced order and separated by a washout period. Following each sleep period, the cognitive performance was assessed, at a fixed morning time, using a computerized neuropsychological test battery based on frontal lobe functions tasks, which was a timed test providing both accuracy and reaction time outcome measures.

Only the spatial working memory performance of cognitive tasks was found to be statistically lower in the restricted-sleep condition than in the extended-sleep condition (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in the performance of cognitive tasks evaluating simple attention, constant attention, executive functions, and cognitive flexibility.

The findings of this study indicated that partial sleep restriction negatively affects specifically working memory and strategic thinking skills among cognitive functions based on the frontal lobe. Especially the visuospatial working memory and strategic thinking skills of adolescents might be susceptible to chronic partial sleep deprivation.